(4) K-3 Illustrated by Peggy Nille. A cat locked in a gilded cage, dreaming of freedom, narrates this tale of how a bird helped facilitate his escape. The story, inspired by a painting--Klee's Cat and Bird--verges on heavy-handed, but the cat's musing narration complements the abstraction of the stunning art in the master's style. A reproduction of the original painting and biographical information on Klee are included.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen